Confection-making machine



Oct. 16, 1928. 1,687,707

F. L. BORCHERT V CONFECTION MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1923 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 16, 1928.

F. L. BORCHERT CONFECTION MAKING MAC HINE Filed Nov. 10, 1925' ll Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 16,

iled Nov. 10, 1923 11 Sheets-Sheet v 5 Oct16,-1928.

- F. L. BORCHERT CONFECTION MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1923 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 F. L. BORCHERT COIWEC'IION MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1923 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 16, 1928. 1,687,707

F. L. BoRcHERT conr'nc'rzoh MAKING manna Filed Nov. 10, 1923 -11 Sheets-sheet 6 Oct. 16, 1928.

F. L. BORCHERT CONFECTION MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1925 11 Sheets-sheet 7 Oct 16, 1928.

F. L. BORCHERT CONFECTIQN MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10; 1923 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 F. BORCHERT CONFECTION V MAKING MAGHINE med Nov in. 192s I l I Oct. 16. 1928.

"fiza Oct. 16, 1928. 1,687,707

F. L. BORCHERT 7 CONFEECTION MAKING MACHINE of such commodities or packaged goods.

Patented Oct. 16, 19 28.

UNITED STATES FRED I. IBORCHERT, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

courncr rommaxme MACHINE.

Application filed November 10, 1923. Serial No. 673,905.

This invention has reference to apparatus used in the manufacture and wrapping of commodities sold in package form. The present embodiment is for cutting, coating and wrapping confection bars and the like, and especially chocolate bars. However, the apparatus and principles disclosed herein are adapted for either cutting, coating or wrapping many different commodities, such as candy bars, cheese, lump sugar and other edibles and materials in lump or bar form, as soap. In certain respects my invention also relates to the wrapping of not only various commodities, such as those mentioned, but to cartons and any articles of certain dimensional characteristics which require wrapping.

The primary object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus which will automatically cut, coat and wrap commodi ties of the character described, or perform any of these functions in the manufacture I have-also aimed to provide apparatus of the character described which will enable sanitary production of said commodities and goods at a low cost. I

Another object is to so construct the ap-. paratus that it will be thoroughly practical for, the purposes intended and will comprise but comparatively few parts which may be manufactured and assembled'at a low cost 'in comparison with other apparatus of a like nature.

In furtherance of the foregoing, my -in vention contemplates, briefly stated, the provision ,of improved apparatus einployed in performing such functions as cutting and feeding ice cream bars or the like, picking up and carrying such bars, coating them, delivering a wrapper to a wrapper station, positioning a coated bar on the wrapper, completely wrapping the bar and discharging the wrapped baiz, All of these operations are performed automatically in the proper sequence. The apparatus is further constructed in such novel manner that it may be quickly and easily disassembled for cleaning. 1

Other objects'andattendant advantages will be appreciated by those skilled in the art as the invention becomes better understood by rcferencc to the following description when considered in connection with t...e accompanying drawings, in' which-- respectively;

. Figure 1 is a top view of a machine em-' bodying my invention;

Fig. 2 's a front elevation of the machine,

w1th the wrapping mechanism and some of the picker arms removed;

" Figs. '3 and 4 are enlarged vertical sections taken substantially on the lines 33 and 4-4, respectively, of Fig-l;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken substantlally on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 arevertical sections taken spectively, of Fig. 10;

Fig. 14. is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on the line 1414 of Fig.

1, and taken -in part on the line 1414.- of Fig. 15;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged top view of the wrapper-feeding mechanism and the wrapping mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 16, 17 and 18 are sectional views taken substantially on the lines 16-16, 17-17 and'1818, respectively, of Fig. 15, the vertical section of Fig. 17 being taken on the line 1717 of 14; I

Fig. 19 (sheet 3) is a section taken on the line 19- 19 of Fig. 14;

Figs. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 'are sectlons taken substantially on the lines 2020,

21*2'1, 22-22, 23-23, 24-24 and 25-25, respectively, of Fig. 14, showing in the last ighree figures the upper ends of the lifter ars;

Figs. 26, 27 and 28 are top views of the lifter bars shown Fig. 29 is a section taken substantiall on the line 29-29 of Fig. 15, with part 0 the wrapping mechanism removed; I

Fig. 30 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3'0-3O of Fig. 29;

Fig. 31 is an enlarged top fragmentary view of one of the wrapping units or boxes;

in Figs. 23, 24 and 25,

Fig. 32 is a side view of said wrapping unit partly in vertical section as taken on the line 32-32 of Fig. 31 showing the upper end of the cam lifter bars;

Fig. 33 is an end view of said wrapping unit; a

Figs. 34, 35 and 36are side views of one of the wrapping units showing the parts at different stages of the wrapping operation,

as will be explained more fully hereinafter;

Fig. 37 is a horizontal section taken substantiallyon the line 37-37 of Fig. 34;

Fig. 44 is an end view of the package-discharging means showing the relation of the delivery chute thereto;

Fig. 45 is a face view of one of the gripper plates forming part of said package-discharging means;

Fig. 46 is a fragmentary view showing the action of one of the .units of said package- 4 discharging means at one stage in its operation; and

Figs. 47 to 53 inclusive, are perspective views showing different stages in the wrap ping of the bar, Fig. 53 showing the completely wrapped bar.

Vhilemy invention in its several aspects is applicable to the manufacture and wrapping, or to the wrapping onlyof. various commodities as mentioned above, it is in the present instance embodied in a machine especially designed for the manufacture and wrapping of confection bars, such for example as ice cream bars. Taking this as one practical embodiment of my invention, the following desc'ription will for the purpose of clarity be directed to the functions of this particular machine. In this regard, it will be noted that the commodity is in the form of a small block or bar; and it should be understood-that-in the use of the terms bar or 'block'a plicant contemplates any .material or-artic es irrespective of their size or shape claimed herein.

1 coat the bars with an edible substance such as adapted to be handled, worked 6r wrapped by apparatus embodying the invention' Before entering into a detailed description of the construction and operation of such machine, I will outline briefly its function andthe cycle of operations as performed with respect to, a single bar, The object is.

to cut bars from a brick'or slab of ice cream,

chocolate, and wrap them in suitable wrappers ready for sale. The present machine .cuts' barsfrom the slab, feeds them in succession to? a loading or rece'i 'which each bar is picked up lby device referred to as a'picker" Station at impaling .A. series coating on the bar (still carried by of these picker arms, twelve inthe-pres'ent instance, are carried on a head, which will be indexed, moving the picker arms in succession from station to station. Each picker arm picks up a bar at the'lo'ading station and carries it by one or more indexing movements to a coating station, at which the bar is lowered into a bath of chocolate and is then raised, permitting the surplus chocolate to drip off, and that adhering, to set or harden.

During succeeding indexing movements, the

its picker arm) will harden, and when the ar reaches a wrapping or discharging station it will be delivered from the picker arm onto a wrapper. This wrapper has been fed from a strip or coil to said wrapping station and cut off. The bar and its wrapper will then be acted upon by a wrapping mechanism which folds in the ends of the wrapper, tucks in the corners of the side portions and then folds the sides over the tucked-in portions and the top -of the bar, thus completely wrapping the bar-.-

The Wrapped'bar will then be discharged, as for example, into a delivery chute. The foregoing operations are all performedautomatically in predetermined timed relation, a

series of bars being acted upon at all times, and a completely wrapped bar being delivered at each indexing movement of the head.

In the present machine, there are three'wrapping units or boxes carried on a head which indexes in timed relation with the icker arm head, but this is not essential to t e invengion as-a single wrapping unit'may be use Referring now to the drawings, and especially to Fig. 1, the picker arms 61 are carried in circumferentially spaced, radiating relation by a head or carrier 62, these reference numerals being generally applied. The loading, coating and wrapping stations are designated by the letters A,.B and C, v

spectively, Fig. '1. The head 62 will be indexed in step by step movements in a clockwise direction viewing said figure, causing the'picker arms to be moved in succession from statign to station, it being noted. that the bars harden in the period between the stations B and C.

Referring more particularly to sheets 1' to 5 in'clusive' with reference to the eonstruction and operation of picker arms 61 'and head 62, it will be-:observed- (Fig. 14)

that the-head has a vertical column 63.1'ev'oluble in bearings'64 in a stationary cam casting designated generally by. 65, and rests at its.

upper end on' said castlng, the upper end of i the head having radial slots 66 in which the picker arms are mounted, aswill be presently more fully described. Saidcam casting 65 is bolted to the top of the inain frame designated generally b3 67, which has front and back walls 68 an 69, end walls 71 and 72 and a top wall 73.

The mechanism which indexes the head- 62, comprises a main drive shaft 74 journaled in the frame and continuously driven by suitable means, such as an electric motor 75, connected to said shaft through the agency of a belt 76 and a worm and gear 77 and 7 8 g respectively, a secondary shaft 7 9 connected to the head by bevel gears 81 and 82 having.

a one to two ratio, and means operative between the shafts 74 and 79 for intermittently imparting a partial rotative movement to the latter. This means in the present instance consists of an eccentric 83 fixed to the shaft 74 and connected by a band 84 to a'rockef' arm 85 loose on the shaft 79, a ratchet toothed disk 86 fixed to .the shaft 79 and having six equally spaced ratchet teeth 87 (Fig. 19), and a spring-pressed pawl or dog 88 carried by the rocker arm and adapted to engage said teeth; Upon each complete-revolution of the main driving shaft 7 4; in a counter-clockwise direction viewing Fig. 3, the dog 88 which is in engagement with one of the teeth 87 will be drawn downwardly during the first half revolution of the eccentric 83 until it is carried into engagement with the face of the next lo'wer tooth, and upon the suc= ceeding half revolution of the eccentric 83, the dog will be moved upwardly, imparting.

rotative movement to the disk 86 in a clock-v wise direction viewing Fig. 19, for one-sixth .of a revolution, thereby indexing the head 62 one-twelfth of a revolution in a clockwise direction viewing Fig. 1. It will. thus be noted that the secondary shaft 7 9 and parts connected thereto will remain at a standstill duringone-half of a revolution of the main shaft 74, and will be moved 60 degrees during the second half revolution of said main shaft, this being repeated, causing the head 62 and other partsdescribed hereinafter to be inter mittently indexed in step-by-step movements for advancing the picker arms to the several stations.

Each picker arm or Work-holder best shown in Figs. 5 to 13 inclusive, comprises a shank 89 adapted to be inserted in one of the slots 66, as shown in Fig. 14, with a recess 91 engaged beneath a retaining plate fixed to the top of the head 62. Each picker arm rests intermediate its-ends on oneof several supports, thereby holding the outer end of the posed for coating. In the present e1nbo di-' ment, this means con'iprises a. pair of flexible in the outer end of the picker arm and attached 'toa slide 95 adapted to be moved lengthwise on the shank for advancing and retracting the fingers or picker elements. Said wire fingers 93 are guided at their outer ends in tubular extensions 96 so arrangedv that the wires will cross in close proxi ity and be projected in diverging relation Tl us, viewing Fig. 4, when a picker arm is moved to the loading station and lowered by reason of riding down an inclined cam face 97 to the bottom 98 thereof which forms a stop (Fig. 2) the wire fingers will be positioned directly over and in closeproximity to a bar D at the loading station A, and upon projecting said fingers by moving the slide 95 outwardly, said fingers will enter the bar at substantially ing relation within the bar. Upon raising the pick-er arm, the bar will be carried with it by reason of the hold had by the fingers- It will be observed that by lowering the picker arm to a lesser degree than shown, the wire fingers will enter the bar at spaced points, the

distance between which may be varied according to the location of the stop surface 98 above mentioned. In practice, the distance between these penetration points may be varied by raising or lowering the stop surwire-fingers or prongs 93 slidably mounted .a common point and be disposed in divergface 98, and the extent of projection ofthe fingers may also be varied by greater or less movement of the slide 95, thus accommodating the picker arm to bars of different sizes and consistency. It will be observed that wire picker fingers of this kind do not. to any appreciable degree mar the bar, that practically the entire surface of the bar, is exposed for coating, and that when the fingers are withdrawn there-is onlya very small hole, or at the most two such holes, not covered by the coating material. It follows that this picker means does not appreciably mar-the product, andin the present case the coating material seals the ice cream bar except for the small opening 'or openings left by the wire fingers. It will also be observed that by reason of this construction, the elements which hold the bar are confined within the same when it is immersed in a coating materlal';

and only a small portion of the picker arm comes in contact with'sueh material, so that after the picker fingers have been withdrawn they are not covered with coating material, nor does this material interfere in any way detrimental to the operation: of the pickers. The work-holding and transferring means just described is claimed in my divisional ap-- plication Serial No. 297 ,349, filed Aug. 3,

. The apparatus cream bars to the loading station will now be described, reference being had particular for cutting and feeding the thereon for moving its cream-carrying portion 103' back and forth between a receiving {position beneath the slab of ice cream and a position which I havedescribed above as the oading station- The means for reciprocat I 'ing the cream bar slide will be presently described. Above said bed is supported a hopper which one or more bricks or slabs of ice cream may feed downwardly by gravity, and from the bottom of which barswill be cut and deposited on said bar-receiving'portion 103 of the slide 102. -This hopper and the cutter assembly are carried on a bracket designated generally by 104, detachably secured to the outer end of the bed bracket 101 by means of a nut and bolt- 105 and locating pins as shown in Fig.4. Said bracket 104 is shaped 'to provide a throat 106 overlying the bed 101; and in this throat is detachably mounted the lower end of a hppper 107. The hop er, adapted to be filled with one or more bric s of cream from the top,-is inclosed save for an opening 108 on one side, with a water jacket 109. This water jacket is for the purpose of tempering the hopper or chute, or in other words, for preventing the ice cream from freezing to the walls or guiding faces in the chute, and in this way interfering with free gravity feed of the cream brick 111. On

theother-hand, if the ice cream is ofa kind that does not solidify to the same degree as ordinary cream the" jacket may -be packed with ice so that the walls or guides in the hopper will be kept cold andhave no tendency to melt the cream.

The cream brick in the hopper normally rests on a pair of cutter blades 112 supported beneath'the bracket 104 and above the slide 102 from-horizontal ledges 113 over-reaching 66 fed to the loading station by movement of When closed, the b upon and is supported by these cutting blades.

the .bed 101. These blades, rectangular in form as shown in Fig. 5, and comparatively thin as shown in Fig. 7, each .have a cutting edge 114 and are adapted to be simultaneof 1y advanced toward each other in the plane'- which they are supported so as to bring the cutting edges together in a cutting action. rick of cream 111 rests When the blades are retracted, the brick feeds down by gravity and rests on the bar-receiving portion 103of the slide, as shown in Fig.

7. Upon the next 'shcceeding action, the lower end of the brick will be severed, thus leaving a cream bar on the slide 102, which will be said slide as 'will be presently described. The

cutter blades rest upon and are directly supported by a flat U-shaped cutter operating slide, the side portions 115 of which underlie the blades and are joined by a cross portion 116. Each side portion'115 of said slide has a pair of fixed upstanding pins 117, upon each of which is mounted a pair of rollers 118 and 119. The rollers 118' are disposed in slots 121 in the ledges 113 parallel with the movement of the slide, ,and the rollers 119 are disposed in angularslots 122 in the cutter blades. Each of the pins 117 reaches above the ledges 113 and has anenlargedhead' 123 beneath which is located a removable latch member 124.

These latch members are bifurcated at their ends so as v to'be received under the heads123,

and a suitable flat spring 125 is provided on V the top of each latch member overlying one of the heads'123 for preventing displacement of the parts. 0 It will be seen that upon removal ofthe latch member, the cutter-operating slide and the cutter blades will fall from po sition so that they-may be removed for clean mg.

Each cutter blade carries near one end a roller 126 located in a transverse slot 127 in the under side of the bracket 104:. Said cutter-operating slide has a depending part 128 detachably connected with a cutter feed bar 129 .as shownin Fig. 3, so that upon lengthwise reciprocation of said feed bar the slide will bereciprocate'd and will cause by the action of its roller 119 on the walls of the slots 122, the cutter bladesto be fed to closed and opened ositions for the purpose described. In urther regard to the movement of the cutterblades, it will be noted that they I are held against len thwise displacement by the action of the i0 lers'126in the s lot l27, thus resisting the end thrust imposedby the action of the angular slots 122 gdjred ein the end thrust friction to follows from the foregoing'th "when the cutter feed bar moves inwardly-"from its'retracted position, that is, to theright viewing Fig. 3, the cutter blades willbe closed on the .brick of cream severin the lowermost end portion, which constituting the bar to-be subsequently coated andwrapped, rests 'onthe cream slide-{as above mentioned and is adapted to be. eiiwied to the/loading station by tion by the impaling picker arm as will .be. presently described. the cream bar slide will e retracted until its receiving portion 103 movement of such slide. -After this cream bar has been removed from the laoding' 'sta? underlies the brick 111; and upon the ,return stroke of the cutter feed bar the cutter blades will be retracted,' feed down by gravity and rest on said portion 103. It will be, noted that when the rmitting the brick to I cream bar slide is in its advanced position,'its

rear end 102' underlies the brick so as to catch any drippiggs therefrom.

" bar by oscillation of said rocker arm. Said link 132 is in turn pivot-ally connected at 133 to a flat cam slide 134 slidably mounted between an inner and an outer housing 135 and 136 fixed by bolts 137 to the bracket 99. In this cam slide is formed a'slot composed of upper and lower parallel portions 138 and 139 joined by an inclined slot portion 141. In the normal or retracted position of the cam slide shown in Fig. 3, there are three rollers 142, 143 and 144 disposed in the upper slot portion 138. The roller 142 carried by a lever '145 disposed between said cam slide and the inner housing member 135, said lever being pivotally mounted at 146 and connected at 147 to the cutter feed bar. The roller 143 is carried by a lever 148 pivoted at 149 between said cam slide and the outer housing member 136, said lever being pivotally connected by a pin and slot 151 to the cream bar slide 102. The roller 144 is carried by a lever 152 pivotally mounted at 153 on the inner end of the bed 101, this lever having a broad operating end 154 ada ted to actuate the slide 95 of the picker arm ocated at the loading station. When the rocker arm 131 is swung to the right viewing Fig. 3, by

. the action of the eccentric 83, the cam slide 134 will be moved to the right, thereby causing the inclined cam slot 141 to actuate the rollers 142, 143 and 144 in succession. The roller 142 will be operated to swin the lever 145 in a clockwise direction, there y moving the cutter feed bar to the right and closing the cutter blades.- The roller 143 will next be operated by said inclined cam portion 141 to swing the lever 148 in a clpckwisedirection, and thereby advance the cream bar slide 102 for positioning the cut-01f cream bar at the loading station. The roller 144 will then be operated by said cam portion 141 for moving the lever 152 in a counter-clockwise direction for projecting the picker fingers into the cream bar D at the loading station as above described. It will be observed that the cutter blades will be held closed and the cream bar slide 102 stationary (by reason of the rollers 142 and 143 moving idly in the slot portion 139) during projection of the picker fingers; and that upon movement of the-rocker arm 131 in the opposite direction, said rollers 142, 143 and 144 will be operated in inverse order for returning the operated parts to the starting position. In this regard, the term starting position is simply used for purpose of clarity in describing the operation, since the rocker arm 131 moves continuously but at a slow speed.

After the picker fingers have entered the cream bar at the loading or receiving station A the head 62 will be indexed, moving the picker bar along the cam surface 155, Fig. 2, slightly elevating the picker arm and upon the next succeeding indexing movement this picker arm will drop into a depression 156 in the cam bracket, thus immersing the cream bar in a bath of chocolate or any other edible coating material contained in a tank, 157. This tank arcuate in shape as shown in Fig. 1, so as to underlie the cream bars, is supported on the frame by brackets 158. A suitable heating element designated diagrammatically by dotted lines 159 in Fig. 2, keeps the coating material at a proper consistency. The ban will remain immersed until the next indexing movement of the head 62, when the picker a 'm will be moved along the inclined cam surface 161 to the elevated position shown in Fig. 2. In this position, the bar is inclined is discharged into a wrapping mechanism.

During the period between raising the bar from the chocolate bath to the time that it reaches this station, the coating will harden or set sufliciently to permit of the bar being wrapped. v

Mechanism is provided forfeeding a suitable wrapper to said station C, so that the coated bar may be lowered onto the wrapper and then raised by the wrapping-mechanism which will be presently described. a The wrappers are preferably fed to said station] from a strip and cut off. As shown in Figs. 15 and 17, the wrapper strip 163, taken from a roll 164 suitably supported on the frame, passes over a stationary support165 and between fixed and movable gripping elements 166 and 167 carried by a slide'168, which is, adapted to be reciprocated by a lever 169 for feeding the leading end of the wrapper be, 'tween'fixed and stationary shear. blades 171 and 172 respectively, and onto a wrapper table formed by the separated parts 173 and 174, shown in section in Fig. 14.- Said support and table parts are carried on and above the main frame by suitable means such as a bracket 175. The wrapper support 165 has a longitudinalopening 176 for clearance of the gripper element 166 and its supporting part 177 which connects this element to the slide 168. Wire riders 178 rest or fioaton the wrapper at each side of the opening 17 6 for preventing the wrapper from buckling.

These riders may be supported in any suitarm l83, the pin 184 of which is disposed in a slot 185 in the upper, end of the lever 169. The movable gripping element 167 is beveled on its lower end, providing a gripping edge 186, and has on the side opposite from said gripping edge a finger 187 adapted to be depressed by hand at the will of the operator for withdrawing said gripping edge from the paper. As shown in Fig. 17, the lever 169 which is pivoted on the frame at 188, has been swung in a clockwise direction to the full limit of its feed stroke, thereby feeding the leading end 189 of the wrapper onto the wrapper table 173174 and beneath the wire holddown fingers 191 above said table. a Upon the back stroke of the lever 169, the thrust of the lever on the pin 184 will swing the crank arm 183 in a counter-clockwise direction/viewing Fig. 17 thereby likewise swinging the gripping element 167 and withdrawing its edge 186 from the wrapper. Thus on the back stroke, the gripping elements 166 and 167 pass idly beneath and above the wrapper. Immediately upon reversal of the' stroke, the forward pressure of the lever 169 will' be transmitted to the gripping element 167, swinging it in a clockwise direction so as to cause its gripping edge to press down on the wrapper and take hold of it with a pressurewhich increases .with the resistance of the wrapper to move with the gripper elements. It will be observed at this point that the lever 168 by reason of its connection throu h the crank arm 183 and shaft 182 with t eslide 168, moves the latter in the feed and return strokes,

.. said arm 183 being limited in its back movement by striking a stop 192 on the slide. These .feed and return strokes are imparted to the lever 169 by a link 193 connected to the lower end of the lever and operated by a cam 194 (Figs. 17 and 22) fixed to the main lrive or cam shaft 74, the link being suspended at one end of said shaft 74 and carrying cam follower rollers 195.

After having been fed to the wrapper'table the wrapper 189 will be severed from the strip 163 by the shear blades 171 and 172. The movable-blade 172 is operated by a lever 195, (Figs. 15, 16 and 42) pivotally mounted at 197 on a stationary part and connected by a link 198 to the blade. This lever carries a roller 199, which is held by a spring 201 against the top end of a rotary cylindrical cam 2029 This end of the cam has four equal ly spaced depressions 203 into each of which the roller drops abruptly and will then be raised by the inclined cam portions'204: when the cam is rotated as will be described hereinafter.

Eachtime the roller 199 drops into a depression 203, the blade 172 will obviously be lowered in a quick shearing action, thereby severingthe wrapper. The link 198 may be swung in a clockwise direction about its pivot on the lever 1% (viewing Fig. 16) until the" pivotal connection between the blade 172 and said linklies above a line between the lever pivots, thereby holding the blade in an inoperative position. The cam 202 is so timed that the blade 172 will be operated in a shear-' ing action after each wrapper has been fed to the wrapper table.

Just after the wrapper has been out as described, a picker arm with a coated bar having been moved into registration with the wrapdown onto the wrapper and through the opening between the. table parts 173 and 174, thus carrying the wrapper ahead of it and into a wrapping box or unit, which will be presently per, will 'be lowered so as to bring the bar described. Inwardly projecting guides 200 at the sides of the Wrapper table between the table parts 173' and 174 intercept the intermediate portions of the wrapper in its down ward passage to the platen and serve to prevent the wrapper from tipping endwise. 7

When the bar and wrapper have been so positioned, the picker fingers will be withdrawn from the bar and the picker arm will be raised. To this end, the cylindrical wall of the cam casting 65 is cut away as at 209 for free vertical movement of the picker arm. When each arm reaches this passage, it will ride onto the upper end of an upstanding cam bar 211 which carries a roller 212 following a cam 213 (Fig. 20) fixed to the shaft 74. This cam is so shaped and positioned on said shaft as to lower and raise each picker arm and its coated bar at the proper times. The picker fingers will be withdrawn from the bar when the lat ter is in the lowered position by the action of a lever 214 14), the upper end 215 of which is normally in a position beyond the outer side of the picker finger slide 95,'so that when the later is lowered into the path of said lever end 215, the lever 214 may be swung in a counter-clockwise direction about" its pivot 216 as shown Fig. 14, for withdrawing the picker fin ers. A cam 217 (Fig. 21) fixed to the shaft 74, operates the lever 214 for Withdrawing the pickerfingers, and when the lever is released by the cam, will be. returned to saidnormal position by any suitable means, at present by gravity.

The wrapping mechanism will now be described. In the present machine, I have pro'-. vided three wrappinghnits or boxes, each sim ilar in construction and operation, mounted in equally spaeedrelation to index about a vertical shaft 205, which'is journaled in. a bearing casting 206 fixed tothe top wall of the frame as best shown in Fig. 14. This ion shaft is adapted to be indexed by rotative movement of the shaft 79 by means of bevel gears 207 and 208 having aratio of two to one. Inasmuch as the shaft 79 is given a rotativ'e movement of one-twelfth of a revolution to each complete revolution of the main drive shaft 74, the shaft 205 will be moved 120 degrees or one-third of a revolution upon each indexing movement. In other -words, the picker arm head 63 and the shaft 205 are simultaneously indexed, the former onetwelfth=of a revolution and the latter onethird, for the purpose of bringing a wrapping unit'and a picker arm carrying a coated bar into registration. This arrangement, however, is not essential as a single wrapping unit may be used in place of the three shown herein for wrapping each bar instead of every fourth bar as is done at present. The mechanism of each-wrapping unit is assembled around a horizontal table or platen 218 formed integrally with a platen frame 219,

these platen frames being'carried in radial spoke-likerelation by and about a hub 221.

Inasmuch as the wrapping units, are similar inconstruction and operation, a description of one will sufiice. Referring more particularly to Figs.'14, 17. and 31Ito 41 inclusive, .it-will be observed that the platen proper 218 has a fiat-top substantially the same length and width as the bar to be wrapped. Mounted upon or. associated with the platen frame are devicesfor folding the wrapper about the bar. in the course of wrapping it,- these devices being operated by cams on the shaft 74, as will be described later, when the wrapping unit is located below the wrapper station D. On eachend portion of the platen frame is pivotally mounted an end folder member designated generally by 222 shown in detail in Figs.40 and'4l. -;Each end folder has in the present instanceside members 223 straddling the platen frame 219 and pivotally 11 connected thereto by=a screw 224. The upper end of each end folder is shaped to provide angular folding portions 225, and means provided for rocking the end folder members on their pivots: in a folding and retracting stroke... This comprises a part 226 disposed 1 directly below the platenbetweenthelsides 223 of each end folder .and carrying screws 227, each of whichpassesth roughacam slot 228 inthe lower end of the adjacent side 223.9 A spring 229 interposed between the platen 218 and the part 226, best shown in Fig; 32,

' normally urges the latter to a lowermost position,..so .as to hold the end folders in the retracted or open position shown in this figure.

- The wrapper 189 and a coated bar are here shownon the top' of the platen on which they have been placed by the picker arm as described above, it being noted that the ends of the wrapper have been partially folded in by i 6 reason of their contact with the inner edges of-the folding portions'225.- This position '49. A lifter bar 231 operated by a cam of the bar and wrapper-is also shown in Fig. 48. Upon raising the part 226, the screw pins 227 will swing the end folders on their respective pivots, thereby swinging the upper folding portions thereof inwardly, to the position shown in-Fig. 34, so as to fold the ends of the wrapper down over the top of the bar. This folding operation is also shown'in Fig.

(Fig. 23) fixed to the shaft 74 serves to lift the part 226, it being noted, Figs. 26 and 37, that this lifter bar has a T-shaped head 233 for holding the part 226 level, so as to operate both end folders alike. I

The next folding operation to be performed is to tuck in the upper corners 234. of the side portions of the wrappers, this being done by two pairs of side tuckers 235. Each tucker has a flat linger portion, the under edge 236 of which is beveled so that when the finger is swung inwardly toward the bar, it will engage the top corner portion 234 of the wrapper and carry it against the side of the bar, leaving the intermediate side portion 237 of the'wrapper extending, it being noted.

(viewing Fig. 5) that the corner portions .234 of the wrapper will be held flat against the sidesof the coated bar and that the side .portion of the wrapper pulled in by these tuckers will crease substantially along the lower tapered edge 236 of the tuckers. Each tucker is pivotally mounted on a frame 238 which in turn is pivotally mounted concentrically with the end folders 222', that is, on the screw pivots 224 above mentioned. As shown in Figs. 3\ and 39, each tucker 235 has laterally turned portions 239 hinged on pintles 241, at present formedfrom a single piece of wire 242, which pintles pass through parts of the frame 238 as shown in said figures, and are retained in position thereby. The pintles 241 are substantially radial with respect to the pivot pins 224.. 'A contractile spring 243interp'osed being stop 245, fixed to the platen frame, as

bestshown in Fig. 32. Means is provided for swinging the tucker frames 238 inwardly,

this being done by screw pins 246 which engage in slots 247, said screw pins being carried by said bars 248, as best shown in Figs. 31 and 33, joined and held in rigid relative relation by cross bars 249, best shown in Figs. 31 and 32. Said side bars 248 .are adapted to be lifted by a lifter bar 251 operated by a cam 252 (Fig. 25) fixed to the shaft 74, it being observed that the lifter bar 251"has.a.

head provided with ends 253, best shown in Figs.- 28 and 37, which lie beneath the side bars .248 and are adapted to raise these side tucking operation.

their respective pivots from the position shown in Fig. 32 to thatv in Fig. 35. The

tuckers 235, however, remain open until their ends- 244 strike the stops 245, and being retarded thereby cause the tuckers to swing in wardly on the respective hinges in a quick movement. In this particular instance, the tuckingoperation commences shortly after the ends of the wrapper have been folded in, so that as shown in F ig. 34, when the end folders 225 have reached the folding position the tuckers have already entered on the The next operation is to fold the projecting sides upwardly in the manner shown in Fig. 51. This is done by side folders 254, one being positioned at each side of the platen 218-and. having right angular parts providing a fiat top portion and a vertical portion the latter of which are rigidly connected by a U-shaped piece 255, it being noted Fig. 17 that the verticalportions ofthe parts 254 and 255 are disposed between the parts 226 and248. This side folder unit normally rests on stop lugs 250 projected from each side of theplaten frame 219, thereby holding the top horizontal portions or wings of this folder unit flush. with the top of the platen 218. .Upon raising this side folder unit, the projecting sides 237 of the per which overlie said wings will be raised or folded upwardly by the latter over the tucked-in cornersofthe wrapper in the man-- ner shown in Figs. 36 and 51.

The side folder is raised by a lifter bar 256' operated by a cam 257-fixed to the shaft 74, the lifter bar having a head 258 which engages the lower ends of .the side lifter, as will be obvious. It'will be noted at this point, however, that .just after starting the side folding operation, that is, after the side folders 254 have.

been raised above the top of the platen and have started to fold the sides of the wrap per, the tuckers will be quickly released and retracted so as to be out of the way of the side folding operation. The end folders are,

. however, still held in the folding position,

as shown in Fig. 51.

There remains now the top folding operations for completelywrapping the bar; In the present instance, the upstanding sides 237 of the wrapper are folded down over the .top after the wrappin unit has been indexed. Both the end and side folders 225 and 254 are held in their respective folding positions while the platen is, being indexed the first time. To this end, one of the side folders is equipped with a shoe 259, (Figs. 17 and 42), which when the platen indexes, rides over the lifter head 258 and onto a track 261, shown in Figs. 17, 23, 30 and 42, and the end folder operating part 226 likewise rides over said head and track in advance of said shoe, thus holding both the end and side folders in the folded positions. The track 261 is formed integral with a bracket 262 bolted to the top of the main frame and shaped to provide, an upstanding portion 263, which carries a packagedischarging means which will be presently described. The track 261 reaches fr om-the point 264 adjacent to the'wrapping lifter bars to the point 265 (Figs. .30 and 42) at which it steps down to a level 266 and terminates at 267. When the wrapping unit reaches the end of this first indexing move ment which I term the second wrapping station, thepart'226 rides 03 the track 261 onto the lower level 266, .thereby withdrawing the end folders, this being shown in Fig. 42. The

, with its folded end 271 elevated as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 42.- .When a depression 273 in said cam is'reached, the lever will enter it under pressure of a suitable spring 274,

I which imparts a rapid movement to'the lever in a counter-clockwise direction viewing said figure, causing it-to fold one of the upstanding sides of the wrapper down over the top of the bar, as shown in Fig. 52. There are three equally spaced depressions 273 in said cam, so arranged as to actuate the top folder lever immediately after each wrapping unit is moved to the second station. When the wrappingunit is again indexed, the top fold lever 268 will be retracted by "the cylindrical cam as will be obvious.

Theremaining upstanding side portion of the wrapper will be folded down as shown in Fig. 53 by a second top folder designated generally b 275, during the indexing of the unit from t e second to the third station, said top folder 275 being best shown in Figs. 15 and 42. This folder pivotally suspended from a pin 276 carried bya part of the stationary support 263, is substantially fiat from end to endand arcuate in shape as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 15, its leading end 277 being. turned upwardly and its opposite end being cut away to provide an opening 278 for passage of the package discharging means, leaving narrow portions 279, which ride over the second top foldof the wrapper l'lu and hold it down until the wrapped bar has been picked up by said discharging means, which will be presently described. The tendency of the longer end of the top folder 275 to drop more than a few degrees beyond the position shown in Fig. 42, is limited by contact of the folder between its leading edge 277 and the pin 276 against the adjacent underside of the bracket carrying said pin. viewin'g-Fig. 42. it 'wi ll be manifest that when the wrapping unit indexes to the third station, the remaining upstanding side portion of the Wrapper will be brought into contact with the leading edge 277 of the second top folder 275, and will be carried under said folder and folded thereby, down over the first top fold. During the first part of this indexing movement the top folding lever- 268 will be retracted and the shoe 259 will ride oflhthe track 261, thereby partially lowering the side folders 254 so that the leading folder 254 will not interfere with the top folder 275 on the uppermost fold of the wrapper. After the indexing unit has been sufficiently ad vanced under the top folder 275 to insure its holding both top folds down in position, the shoe 259 will ride off the lower track 266, thereby allowing the side folders 254 to drop to their normal position and releasing the raised bar from any propelling connection other than frictional contact with the platen or the wrapping unit;

At the time the wrapped bar is thus released and while it is still riding over the top fold ends 279, it will be grasped bya pair of gripper plates forming part of a packagedischarging means, which will be now described, reference being had particularly to Figs. 14, 15, 42, 44, 45 and 46. This means comprises a head 281 equipped with three equally spaced gripping units (Fig. 44), the head being fixed to a shaft 282 journaled in a bearing 283 carried by the above mentioned casting 263, and said shaft carrying a fixed bevel gear 284 meshing with a bevel gear285 on the upper end of the indexing hub 221 (Fig. 14). This package-discharging device is located at a point between the second and third stations to which the wrapping units are indexed, these stations being identified by the position of the wrapping units as shown in Fig. 15. Each gripping device on the head 281 comprises a fixed and a movable gripper plate 286 and 287, respectively, and a helical spring 288 attached at its smaller end to the head between said gripper plates. Each movable plate 287 normally held in closed position against the head by a compression spring 289 is adapted to be positively moved to an open position shown in Fig. 249,'by the action of a wedge 291, the shape of which is shown in Fig. 42. Each wedge is slidable' in a slot 292 in the head and has an inclined side 293 engaging a complemental wall in the slot'292, and has also an oppositely inclined edge 294 disposed at the inner side of the head. An overhanging stop 295 on the outer end of the wedge prevents displacement thereof. The inclined edge 294 of each wedge is adapted to be brought into contact with a stationary cam 296, shown in Figs. 42 and 46 for the purpose of forcing the wedge outwardly and swinging the gripper 287 to an open position for widening the opening between the grippers, so that they may receive one of the wrapped. bars. Viewing Fig. 15, it will be observed that the package-discharging head revolves in a plane intersecting the path of the wrapped bars, and that the gripper plates moving in a counter-clockwise direction viewing Fi 44, pass between the top a folder parts 279.

, aid discharging head 281 and the wrapping units are in such timed relation that during each indexing movement a wrapped package will be carried beneath said top fold portions27 9 and between a pair of downwardly moving gripper plates, one of which has been opened as shown in Fig. 46, so as to clear the trailing end of the wrapped bar or package. After the package comes into registration with this gripping unit it Will be brought into contact with the spring 288 thereof, which will be slightly compressed holding the folded ends of the wrapper down. After the package passes a vertical plane intersecting. the center of the head 281, the gripper plate 287 will be released by the wedge 291 ridingofi' the cam 296, and will bemoved by pressure of the spring 289 into gripping engagement. with the package. This engagement of the gripper plates 286 and 287 and of the spring 288 with the package is sufiicient to hold the package which will be lifted from the platen and carried upwardly to the uppermost position shown in Fig. 44 upon the next succeeding indexing movement. Upon the following indexing movement, the package will be carried by the grippersinto a delivery chute 297, which is cut away, at 298 for clearance of the gripper plates. Viewing Figs. 15 and44 it will be obvious that inasmuch as the ends of the package project beyond the grippers and will be carried onto the bottom wall ofthe chute, the package will be delivered-from the grippers during the next succeeding movement,

with the folded side'down. Upon each in-: dexing movement, a wrapped package will obviously be delivered. into the chute which may be'suitably aranged for conveying the packages away. A suitable work table 299 is supported on the frame between the cream euttingand feeding mechanism and the wrapping mechanlsm for convenience of the operator.

It is believed that inasmuch asthe function of ea'eh pa'rt of the apparatus has been described in relation to its co-operating parts, a detailed description of the general operation is not necessary. However, it will be llu 

